


the theory of loving each other.

by cryingat7am



Category: Free!
Genre: (that's a lie they're in love), Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, just some dudes bein guys and playing vidya games, usually don't go here but gosh dARN IT if they aren't cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22593298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryingat7am/pseuds/cryingat7am
Summary: “If you’re fine, why have you been yawning non-stop?” Rin interrogates, setting his controller down on the bed next to him.“To… get more oxygen?”
Relationships: Matsuoka Rin/Tachibana Makoto
Comments: 4
Kudos: 50





	the theory of loving each other.

**Author's Note:**

> written to/title from the vocaloid/miku hatsune song of the same name

A yawn sounds from his lap, the only other non-NPC character in the game bumps into his, and Rin’s immediately pausing the game.

  
“Rin?” Makoto asks a beat later looking up, body shifting to follow his head part-way. There’s concern on his face, though it’s vague. “Is everything okay?”

  
Rin’s frown deepens to a scowl. _This guy **seriously** has the nerve to look worried?_ That’s at least the twentieth yawn he’s heard from the taller swimmer since they started this campaign, and it hasn’t even been half an hour since then. And while those soft, green eyes always look a little sleepy, they’re even more so now, the tired flutter of his lashes not helping his case any.

  
“No. You’re _tired_ ,” Rin grumbles, wrists resting on his thighs and arms splayed awkwardly as to not get in Makoto’s way.

  
“Rin, you said that earlier. I swear, I’m fi–i—“ Makoto’s speech hitches on _yet another yawn_ and Rin swears his eye twitches. “… I can make it through this first mission. We just started it.”

  
“If you’re fine, why have you been yawning non-stop?” Rin interrogates, setting his controller down on the bed next to him.

  
“To… get more oxygen?”

  
“That’s bullshit,” he says, plucking the glasses from Makoto’s nose. He folds them carefully, slipping them onto his nightstand. “You get _less_ oxygen when you yawn.”

  
“To cool off my brain, then.”

  
“That’s Nagisa logic. Geez, you need to stop believing everything that kid says.”

  
“Rin, really. I’m _fine_. I can make it another—“ Makoto yawns, _again_ , tries to hide it this time, and Rin has decided he is done.

  
“ _You are tired,_ ” Rin says, forced and exasperated, as he rises to a stand. He hears the noise of surprise from behind the end of the yawn as Makoto’s head hits the mattress and stalks over to the TV and game console to turn both off. “And _we_ are _going_ to **_bed_**.”

  
Shifting backwards, he blindly holds out a hand behind him and waits for the weight of a controller in his hand. Moving that one to his free hand, he collects the second from Makoto and stacks them both next to the system to which they belong. It’s then he turns around and sees how the brunet hasn’t really moved from his spot at all, a testament to how tired he was. _Idiot_.

  
“We’ll play more later,” Rin huffs, taking up what free space there is left on the edge of his bed. Makoto lifts his head, scoots up, and makes Rin’s crossed ankles his new pillow. He scoffs quietly to himself and the corners of his lips quirk upward.

  
“I have to go _home_ later.”

  
“You don’t go home until early afternoon,” Rin reminds him, a hand finding itself perched on top of Makoto’s head.

  
“I suck at getting up early.”

  
“Well, either you get your lazy ass up before the crack of noon so we can play before you leave, or we wait until the next time. Those are your options, buddy.”

  
There’s a noncommittal ‘ _mmh_ ’ hummed into his leg before the other boy slowly pushes himself upright, hair on the side of his head he’d laid on more mussed than usual. He rubs at an eye with a fisted hand, yawning, but this time Rin finds it doesn’t bother him.

  
“So, big boy, what should I set the alarm for?” He asks with a little grin, leaning over to fetch his phone.

  
“Um,” Makoto begins intelligently, and Rin catches the tip of his ear turning pink. “Let’s go with… Nine?”

  
“A.M.?!” Rin exclaims in mock surprise. “Makoto Tachibana, getting up at nine _A.M._ on a weekend? Jesus, I’m gonna die of shock, here.”

  
Rin misses the side-long glare, more of a pout than anything, sent his way for the remark. It doesn’t, however, escape his attention when Makoto gets up and the mattress lifts subtly when the extra weight is removed. Tossing his phone to rest next to the other’s glasses he flops back on the bed, relishing in the feel of finally laying down.

  
“And just _where_ are you going?”

  
“To go… get ready for bed?” Makoto questions more than states, looking so genuinely confused it’s honestly amazing.

“Idiot. You really _are_ tired,” The red-head sighs gruffly, rolling to a side. Pulling back the comforter, throwing it even further, he squirms his way closer to the wall and gets under whatever of the covers he can. He sits up, supported by an elbow, and pats the newly vacated space in front of him. “We already did all that.”

  
“We did…?” Makoto blinks and his eyes widen a fraction, light visibly going off in his head. “Oh.”

  
Without any further preamble the other climbs in under what of the covers aren’t flipped over and practically _collapses_ into the pillows. Rin tosses the covers over both of them and has resumed his position when he remembers.

  
“Mako, light.” He reminds in a mutter to Makoto’s shoulder, gently jabbing him in the side. He gets a rumbling confirmation in return and they both are shifting over as he turns off the lamp.

  
Rin, once again, shimmies back into place and for the first time of the night, he yawns himself.

  
“C’mere,” he murmurs groggily, suddenly a lot more drowsy than he’d been only a short while ago. He blames the dark, he blames being comfortable, but most of all he blames Makoto.

  
And it’s without any further prompting that Makoto moves to lay facing Rin, tucking his head of messy hair against the shorter’s chest. In an automatic response Rin’s arms snake around his neck and the weight of one of Makoto’s own drapes over his side.

  
Rin yawns again, Makoto catches it, and then they’re both falling fast asleep.


End file.
